Valve mechanism for suction feeders



Nov. 15, 1932. A. BROADMEYER 1388,19 1

VALVE MECHANISM FOR SUCTION FEEDERS Filed Nov. 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J6 J.9 44 A Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNI'EED s'rAres PATENT OFFICE ALBERTBROADMEYER, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO W. O. HIGKOK 7 MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION PENNSYLVANIA VALVE MECHANISM FOR siicrrron FEEDERS Application filed November 15, 1929. "Serial No. 407,547

In that type of sheet feeding apparatus in which a suction roller is employed for remov-v ting the sheets, and one or more blast nozzles are utlllzed for ra slng the top sheets to the suction roller, 1t 1s common practice to employ'a single pump for creating suction in the suctionroller and delivering the air to the nozzles; It is furthermore the custom to employ a controllingvalve between the pump and suction roller that is periodically operated to-open the suction between the roller and the pump, the air withdrawn through the suction roller being'delivered to the nozzles.

This. valve when it is in closedposition and therefore cuts oil communication between the suction roller and the pump, opens a vent to atmosphere sothat air may continue to be delivered from the pump to the nozzles. In

the structure as now in general use, during the opening movement of the valve there is a period in which the air supplied to the pump is momentarily reduced and as a' consequence the blast delivered through the nozzles is materially cutdown. As a result the floating sheets are apt to drop away from the suction roller so that-when the valve comes to open position and suction takes place through the suction roller, the sheet is not in the most desirable position to be quickly caught roller.

One ofthe principal objects of the present invention is to provide mechanism by which the valve is given a quick movement, so that in open position.

Figure 3 is a viewsimilar to Figure 2,,but

showing the valve in section and locked in its closed position.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but

- by the roller.

showing the valve in elevation and just about to be released.

F 1gure 51s a cross sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 2; 1

Fgure 6 is a detail perspective view of the valve.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal view through the f valve and on an enlarged scale.

1 Inthe structure 'as disclosed schematically,

construction, in which the table is automatically elevated, as the sheets are removed Leading from the roller 9 is a conduit 10 extending to the intake of a 7 pump 11, and this pump has an outlet, to which isconnected a pressure conduit 12 leading to oneor more nozzles 18 that direct in Figure 1, a'pile of paper sheets 7 is supported on a table 8, and located thereover is a suction roller 9. These may be of the usual blasts of air' against the upper rearportion of the paper pile to'fioat the upper sheets upwardly to-a position'to be engaged and held "by the roller 9. The roller then in its rota.-

tion carries the sheets rearwardly in Ta manner well understood. f V I In the conduit 10 is located the valve for controlling the passage of airfromthe suction" roller 9 to the pump 11. This valve mech-' by the ence' numeral 14.

anism is designated generally by the refer-- As shown a transversely disposed valve casing 15 isemployed with oppositelydisposed nipples 16 and 17 to which the sections of the conduit 10 are connected in the usual- V manner. These nipples have passageways 18 8 and 19 therethrough that are in alinement and are located on opposite sides of a valve cham- Y ber 20. In this valve chambe'ris arecipro eatery plunger valve 21, tubular in form and h'avingan, annular channel 22that is movable. into and out not. register with the passageways 18 and '19. When in register, as shown in Figure 2, the pump 11.is obviously in communication with the suction roller 9.

When out of register, as shown in Figures 3 1 and 4, communication between the pump and suction roller is cut off. At" this time, however, the passageway 19 Is in communication Wlth the atmosphere, inasmuch as there s a port 23 in communicationwiththepassageway in closed position.

ample space to supply the passageway 19.,and,

consequently the pump 11 whenthe valve is opened, however, then the supply' of air' to the pump 11 is brought from and through the suction roller 9, the periphery of which is open, as usual, so as'to cause the topmost sheet of the pile 7 to be'attached thcretopthisz sheet having been elevated to the roller by the blast-of air delivered from the nozzles 13.

For the purpose of operating the valve a power driven cam member 27 is employed mounted on a shaft 28: and slid ably carried bysai'd' shaft, anclat one side oft-he cam member is a yoke 29 provided with a roller 300peratingin the cam groove 31 formed in the face of the cam member 27 The yoke 29*is connected to a rod 32 that slidably! passes through the bore 24 of the valve 221'... This rod has fixed thereto an abutment collar 38 which strikes against the adj acent: end of the valve and moves the valve to the left onto its closed position. A separate means, :towit, a coiled spring 3 .2, abutted against one end of} the valve casing 15' and against a nut 35. fixed; to-the'endi of the valve, serves to 'move the valve in the opposite direction,

when the abutment collar is withdrawn by the movement of the actuating rod 32 tolthe right. The valve is held against rotary -mo-vement by a screw key'36 engaged in a longitudinal groove-37 lormed inlonesilde-oi the valve. V

Y The valve after its movement by the cam and actuating rod is held in its closed posi tion by a vertically reciprocating latch 38 mounted in a'housin g'39rcarried byone side of' the valve casing 15 The latch is urged downwardly by a coiled spring 450: and its lower end is adapted to drop into the groove 22 when the valve is closed, as shown Figures 3 and t. It thereforeholds the valve and permits the actuating rod with its abutment collar 33 to m-ovetothe right The free end of the actuating rod 32'projects beyond the valve and'has fixed theretoa bracket 41 on which is an actuatingdog 42 that'has a beveled rear-end 43 adapted'to ride under a pin 44 on the latch. There-fore whenthe actuating rod 32 moves suflici'ently to the right the latch-38 will be raised, releasing the valve and-permitting it to move quickly to the right onto open position under the influence of the spring 34. I 1

It is believed that'the operation of the mechanism-can now be made clear. The-valve 'isreciprocated timedirel'ation. When it is fully'open, suction through the roller 9 will cansethe topmost sheet of the pile 7- to be When the valve is attached in the usual manner and moved from oil the pile. When the valve is closed, then suction through the suction roller 9 will be destroyed, but the pump continues to deliver 21. blastof air drawn through the above described ports and passageways of the valve, so that the uppermost sheets will be floated and the top sheet brought up into close proximity or against the underside of-the suction roller 9. If-the valve moved to theright slowly there would be aperiod when the ini tial. suction. wouldbe weak and the blast of air through the nozzle 13 would be cut down. But with the present structure when the valve is closed by the cam, it is locked in closed position and the actuatingmechanism moves a-way'so that't-he valve is freed-therefrom unvalve almost instantaneously moves to its open position, fullsuction is immediately created through. the roller, andv the of air remains on thesheets.

In furtherexplanation of the. operation,

full blast attention is called to .l igure-3. The portion of the cam groove in theangleA of cam 27 is just oi? the proper drop. to. smoothly; move the rod 32"when the-same is operated atwa' great speed; As the plunger 21 would be directly connected to. 32, the suctionfiline would be gradually opened and .in .thiscase the-sheet would be blown against "the suction roller, (sometimesthis happens andothertimes not) and the sheet would be picked: up. by'a. small amount of vacuum and-brought forwardby the movement of the suction roller, thus bringing the-sheet out of time-with the gate,

that i-s, ahead of time. Thisis particularly noticeable" when longer sheets are fed and when'the surface speed of the suction roller is increasedi In the present improvement,

the full amount of vacuum, no. matter what vacuum the pump is set'for, is brought into the suction roll-er lineand the sheet: is held by the suction roller-andis fedlforwarch Angle B is the suction period which is long enough. to bring the, sheet: in contactwith other forward; feeding elements such as in take rollers, etc, (not shown). Thetrip 3:8 is

released jzust before angle A. of thecam-Z'T has-reached the lowest position. During the suction period-05tang-le B, the blast will may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. 7

iii

WhatIclaimis: l l" 1'- V 1. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a support for a pile of sheets, of a suction device for'removing sheetsfrom the pile, a nozzle fordelivering a current of air to the pile to elevate the top sheets for action on by the suction device, an air .pump,

a conduit connectingthesuction device and nozzle and including the pump, tocause the pump to withdraw air fromthe suction de- 'vice and deliver air throughfthe nozzle, a

valve casing inthe conduit, a valve in the valve casing movable between a position'to close the conduit and a position to'open'it,

mechanism for periodically moving the valve to one of said positions, and means for auto- .action on by the suction device, an air pump,

a conduit connecting the suction device and nozzle and including the pump, to cause the pump to withdraw air from the suction de vice and deliver air through the nozzle, a valve casing in the conduit, a valve in the valve casing movable between a position to close the conduit and a position to open it, mechanism for periodically moving the valve to its closed position, and means for automatically freeing the valve from said operating mechanism and causing it to move from said position to its open position independently of the operating means and at a higher rate of speed than that by which it" is closed.

3. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a support for a pile of sheets, of a suction device for removing sheets from the pile, a nozzle for delivering a current of air to the pile to elevate the top sheets for action on by the suction deviceyan air pump, a conduit connecting the suction device and nozzle and including the pump, to cause the pump to withdraw. air from the suction devalve casing in the conduit, a valve in" the valve casing movable between a position to close the conduit and a position toopen it, mechanism for periodically moving the valve to its closed position, means forholding it in its closed position, operating means other than said actuating mechanism for moving the valve to open position, and means operated by the actuating mechanism to effect the release of the valve'by its holding means and permit it to be quickly opened by said operating means. 7 Z

4. In valve apparatus, the combination with a' fixed valve casing, of a valve therein the latch to release the valve and movable between an open position and a closed position, separate movable actuat ng means forrespectively moving it to said positions, and mechanism for causing the difi'erent means to alternately operate the valve.

.5. In valve apparatus, the combination witha fixed valve casing, of a valve therein movable between, an open position and a closedposition, separate movable actuating means for respectively moving it to said positions, a device for holding the Valve after its movement to one position byoneactuating means, and movable means for releasing the valve from the holding means to permit its movement by theother actuating means. 6. In valve apparatus, the combination with a fixed valve casing, of avalve therein movable between an open position and a closed posit-ion, separate movable actuating means for respectively moving it to said positions, a' device for, holding the valve after its movement to one position by one actuating means, and means moved by said firstactuating means on its movement for releasing the valve fromthe holding. means to permit its movement by the otheractuating means. t

5 7. In valve. apparatus, the combination with a fixed valve casing, of a valve, therein movable between an open position and a closed position, a movable power operated dea vice for moving the valve to one position,-a

spring for movingthe valve to the other position, a latch for holding the valve by the spring after its movement bythe power operated device,and-movable means for operating permit its actuation by the spring. 1 5 .8. valve apparatus, the combination with a fixed valve casing, of'a valve therein movable. between an open position and a' closed position, a movable power-operated device for moving the valve to one position, a springfor moving the valve to the other position, a latch for holding the valve by the spring after its movement by the po-wer-oper-' ated device, and a movable latch operating dvicemoved by the power-o'perated'device on its movement andoperating the latch to release the valve and permit its actuation by i the spring. vice and deliver air through the nozzle, a

9. In valve f apparatus, thecombination movable in opposite directions between an open andv a closed position, one movable means for moving thevalve in one direction,

another means for moving the valve in an opposite direction, means for locking the valvetemporarily after its movement by the movement in the other-direction by the other means. g

l 10. In valve apparatus, the combination}- with a fixed valvecasing, ofa valve therein with a fixed valve casing, of -a valve therein movable in opposite directions between :an

"open and a closed position, one movable 3 with a fixed valve casing, of :a valve therein movable in opposite directions between an open and a closed position, one 'm-ovabl'e means for moving the valve in one direction, another means for more rapidly moving the valve in an opposite direction, means for lockingthe valve temporarily after its movement by the one means on its movement to .hold the valve and permit the-first means to be come tree therefrom, and a device operated by that first means and moving to a position to operate the latch andrelease the valve and permit the va lves movement in the other direction by the other means. 1

menace by the spring to permit the independent movement of the zfirstiactuating device, and a latch operating device. 7

.15. In valve apparatus, the combination With avalve casing :and a tubular reciproca' tory valve therein movable in one direction to anopen position TZtIld'lIl an opposite direction to a closed position, of 'a reciprocatory :aotuating rodzslidable in the valve and havi'n'g'an abutment to engage the same and move itin :one direction, said rod being independently movable in the opposite direction, :aspring for moving the valve in anopposite direction, a latch that engages the valve after its movement by the rod to hold it against opposite movement by the spring, and a trigger operated by the rod and operating the latch on the return movement :ofthe rod to release the valve and permit its movement by the spring.

In testimony Whereot, I affix signature.

ALBERT BROADMEYEB.

12. In valve apparatus, the combination with a valve casing and a reciprocatory valve therein, of a reciprocatory actuating device engaging the valve to move it in one direction and having an independent movement in the other direction, another actuating device for moving the valve in said opposite direction to a point to be reengaged by the first device, a latch for temporarily holding the valve against the latter movement to permit the independent movement of the'first actuating device, and means for operating the latch.

13. In valve apparatus, the combination with a fixed valve casing and a reciprocatory valve therein, of a reciprocatory actuating device engaging the valve tomove it in one d1rect1on and havlng an independent movement in the other direction, another actuating device for moving the valve in said opposite direction to a point to be reengaged by the first device, a latch for temporarily holding the valve against the latter movement to permit the independent movement of the first actuating device, and means operated by the first actuating means and movable to a'po'si- V 7: tion to operate the latch and release the valve to the action of the second actuating device. 7

14. In valve apparatus, the combination with a valve casing, and a reciprocatory valve therein, of a reciprocatory actuating device engaging the valve to move it in one direction and having an independent movement in the other direction, a spring for moving the valvein said opposite direction to a point to be reengaged by the firstdevice, a latch for temporarily holding the valve against action I 

